Into Each Life, Some Rain Must Fall
by Classical E. Centric
Summary: A chance meeting with a drag queen in a club causes Justin to rethink his choice of moving to New York City. Set three years after the end of Season 5. Justin/Brian.
1. In The Big Bad Apple

**Author's Notes:  
><strong>

**Hi, all. This is my first foray into the "Queer As Folk" forum. **

**My story is set three years after the last season (season 5) of the show, and I took some liberties with my ideas for Justin's future. **

**I don't own any of the characters, other than Justin's coworkers, the club and the band (along with it's lead singer) featured in this story. **

**Let me know what you think of this and whether I should continue or not.**

**Thank you so much for reading.**  
><strong>- C.E.C.<strong>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter One.<strong>__**  
><strong>__**  
><strong>__"Into each life some rain must fall  
>But too much is falling in mine<br>Into each heart some tears must fall  
>But some day the sun will shine…"<br>– 'Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall' _sung by Ella Fitzgerald.

The rain kept falling down, conducting an orchestra of sounds all around the gallery. He stared out the front windows, letting his mind wonder back to the old days. All of the memories and all of the same questions & answers flooded in, especially the ones that involved Brian.

"Justin…" a voice entered his brain, cutting through the fuzz. "Justin…"

Shaking his head, he came to, seeing the face before him was that of one of his coworkers, Ava Chadwick-Hartley.

Ava, a woman of slender build and mid-thirties, nearly 6-feet-tall with hair as black as coal and eyes as blue-green as the Red Sea; she knew that she would enjoy having Justin as a resident artist, ever since she met him at a local art show.

Single because her husband, Zeljko, left her for a younger woman at his gym named Peta, she never let it hinder her talent in or out of the gallery.

She was like the older sister Justin never had, nor ever thought he would like to have. She was also like everyone's mother, coddling them and inspiring them at the same time.

"What kept you from the world of the living a moment ago, Mr. Taylor?" She questioned lightly.

"The rain…" He muttered back, before taking in a deep breath.

"Oh, 'that'… get used to it. It's supposed to rain all week long with no let up… pure inspiration incarnate…"

"Guess that means my work will be dark, mysterious, blue even…"

"Oh, yay…" She let the sarcasm enter their conversation. "Bet it will be better than some of the other works-in-progress around here…"

Justin smiled at her, knowing what she meant.

A lot of the other resident artists at the gallery were either behind with working on their pieces for the next gallery show, or still working on projects from past shows that were classified as 'unfinished'.

"Now, what are we going to do tonight, eh?" Ava wondered aloud. "I was thinking of taking in a good stage show or even, a great band… wanna join me and the other guys?"

"No thanks…" He replied softly. "I'm not in the mood for it…"

"'Not in the mood for it'? Justin, what-the-hell is going on, huh? Am I losing you to something? Is it alcohol?"

"No…"

"Is it drugs?"

"No…"

"Girls?"

"Oh, hell no…" He stated honestly. "Ava, it's nothing…"

"Or, '_he's_' nothing… anymore… to you…"

She had hit the nail right on the head. She could sense these things; it was uncanny, plus the look on Justin's face made him read like an open book.

"Justin, why do you keep dwelling on the past as you do?" She asked honestly. "He told you to come to New York and live your dream of being an artist… is that what you're doing?"

"Yes, but - -" He replied, only to be cut off by her hand.

"'But' nothing. You are doing what he wants you to do. Now, stop acting like a dork and come to the show with us… I won't take no for an answer this time…"

"How about 'non'?"

"Que diriez-vous 'oui'?"

"How 'bout 'nicht'?"

"Wie wäre es mit 'Ja'?

"'Shinai'…"

"Justin Taylor!"

"What?"

"Honestly! You're worse than my five-year-old son sometimes… now, you are coming along, and that is final!"

"Yes, ma'am! Or, would that be 'Mom'?"

"Ouch, you wound me… I'm not that much older than you are…"

"So, what kind of show are we going to?"

"Oh, you'll see… you will love it… the performer is a close, personal friend of mine…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Later on that night…<strong>_

Upon entering the Pandora's Box Lounge, Justin knew what he was in for.

It was like being back home at Woody's, chuck full with wall-to-wall sexual innuendos, rainbow flags, and glowing neon beer signs. With the exception of the expansive stage at the back of the space, it could pass for Woody's adventure-seeking runaway of a sister.

"Wow…" came Justin's mouth upon seeing the interior. "It's like the bar back home…"

"But better, yes?" Ava interjected with a wink. "Come on, I see the others. The show's about to begin…"

Before Justin could say more, the club's lights went down and the stage lights came up.

The DJ got on the microphone and announced proudly, "Ladies, gentlemen, lady-boys, and gentle-jean's, this is the moment you've all been waiting for! It's time for the one, the only 'Starrs Spangler and the Banners'!"

Suddenly, a drag queen stepped out on stage, exciting the crowd and stunning the hell out of Justin. Wearing a long hot pink wig, a rhinestone dress that looked like the American flag, and bright red heels that would make Dorothy Gale & Toto jealous, she sashayed over to the microphone and smiled widely.

"Well, well, well, well, well…" She spoke up. "It is so great to be back in New York City..."

The crowd cheered, before she started again, "Now, before we get started, I must say that I see a lot of new faces in the crowd, and a lot of old bodies, and a lot of new faces on the old bodies…"

Many people chuckled, and she winked and pointed to a few.

"Alright, 'Big Gay Apple', who's ready to rock… and rock '_hard_'?" She questioned aloud, emphasizing the last word.

The crowd erupted with cheers and applause, as the band started playing the introduction to Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart", and Starrs began to sing.

"Oh my God… I love this song!" Ava stated trying to be heard over the crowd's roar. "Didn't I tell you she's amazing?"

"No… no, you didn't," Justin answered back, before taking a drag from his beer bottle. "But, I think I'm beginning to see it now…"

"Her voice is out of this world… it's like she's almost Janis Joplin…"

"Yeah, almost… other than the fact that she's got a penis…"

Ava laughed deeply, "Oh, Justin, you have so much to learn about drag queens… and about this queen in particular…"

* * *

><p>When the show ended, Ava grabbed a bucket of beers for the bar, setting the container down in front of the others. She took two bottles and handed one over to Justin, who was strangely quiet and sitting at a table away from the group.<p>

"Well, that was one of the best shows I've seen in a while…" She spoke up, before taking a drink. "Didn't you think so?"

"Yeah, it was great…" Justin replied plainly. "Just wish - -"

"That your friends from home were here too?"

"Yeah…"

"Don't we all? My friends from back home would die, if they knew I was here…  
>prudes, all of them…"<p>

"Then why are you friends with them?"

"Because they are fun at weddings, mitzvahs and other religious events & parties…"

Justin chuckled at her sentiment and her sarcastic wit, before taking another drink from his beer. He wanted to make friends in New York City like the ones he had back home in Pittsburgh, but it seemed harder to do.

Before he could say anymore, a hand grasped his shoulder and a low-pitched voice stated, "Boy, aren't you a looker? You could win awards for your good looks, and you should…"

Turning his head slightly, he saw the 100-watt smile, the dark brown eyes and the pink wig of the one, the only, Starrs Spangler herself. She continued to touch him as she turned to Ava and smiled.

"Darling, when were you going to tell me you started dating again and with someone so young & so virile?" The drag queen spoke up. "Can I get sloppy seconds?"

"No, you cannot…" Ava laughed, smacking the performer's arm lightly. "Besides, he isn't my type anyway… he likes boys…"

"Oh? Well, I like men, so nu…"

"Oh my God, where are my manners? Starrs, this is one of my friends and fellow peon at the gallery, Justin Taylor. Justin, this is my very successful, dearest and most loyal best friend ever: the incomparable, the extraordinarily brilliant, the ever-waving grace of song, Starrs Spangler…"

"Oh, darling, you make a girl blush… keep going, keep going..."

"Did you always want to be a drag queen?" Justin questioned, finally finding his voice again.

"Sugar Pie, I have always loved a good dress, and when my brother and his boyfriend found one and put it on me with a bright pink wig, oh it was magic. My brother is an old queen herself. Some of my ensembles are modeled after him and by him for that matter."

"And, your parents were okay with having a gay son?"

"It was hard at first, like all admissions of 'batting for the other team' are, but Mimsy and Pop-Pop were more than happy to embrace their PFLAG memberships. And, rightly so…"

"Starrs, how long are you going to be in 'the City' for?" Ava piped in.

"For a couple of more days, before I head to my next stop on my tour of tours…"

"And, where's that?" Justin wondered.

"A bar called Woody's, in the town of Pittsburgh…"

"No way… I know that bar. I'm from Pittsburgh… all of my family and friends are there…"

"Well, small world, Sugar Pie… you must tell me all of their names, so I can give them a shout-out during the show, as well as free passes to see it…"

"That would be great… they would love it…"

"Splendid… then, that's what I will do… well, look at that time, I need to get going. If I don't get this makeup off, it's gonna stain my beautiful face. Ava, dear, we must meet again soon…"

"Call me tomorrow. We can do lunch." The brunette responded.

"I would love that…" She smiled at her friend, before turning to Justin to say, "And, you Sugar Pie, you are a gem, and don't let anyone ever tell you different. You hear me on that one?"

"I won't…"

"Good…"

And with that, she kissed his cheek and went backstage to the dressing room, leaving Ava and Justin alone in the club.

"She's a riot, isn't she?" The older woman stated lightly.

"I'll say…" Justin answered still smiling, rubbing his cheek with his hand.

He didn't know how to explain it, but his chest felt lighter and his heart fluttered a little more than normal.

Who was this goddess, Starrs Spangler, and why was he feeling so happy to be around her?

There was something about her that he couldn't quite figure out, but soon enough, he would get all of the answers.

**TBC?**

* * *

><p><em>So, what do you think so far? Let me know.<br>-E._


	2. In The Sexy Steel City

**Author's Notes:**** Hello, all. ****Sorry it took me so long to post, but I was rewatching episodes of QaF to get a better sense of Brian and his personality, and my job can delay my posting schedule as well. **

**Brian may be a little OOC in this chapter, but I need him to be for storyline reasons, so please bear with me.**

**Let me know what you think of this new chapter.**

**Thanks for reading.  
>-C.E.C.<strong>

* * *

><p>"<em>Hail to Pitt, hail to Pitt every loyal son!<br>Hail to Pitt, hail to Pitt 'til the victory is won!  
>The gold and blue shall wave forever<br>On high through fair and stormy weather;  
>We'll sing her praises far and wide<br>Until the end of time!"  
><em>- First part of the chorus to 'Hail to Pitt' – the traditional fight song for the Univ. of Pittsburgh.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter Two.<strong>_

Rain… Nature's shower… washing everything clean, but not Brian's memories…

Sitting behind his desk at Kinnetik, his mind drifted away from his latest project: an ad campaign for Colorama & Co. arts and crafts supply retailers.

Anything to do with art always made him think of Justin. He loved watching his young lover draw and sketch, especially when the drawings were of him.

"Brian… Brian… " An airy voice penetrated his mind. "Brian Alexander Kinney…"

"No one ever calls me by my full name… ever…" He grumbled, coming out of his cerebral blur.

"Well, today's going to be a first then…"

"Better be the last…"

Looking up, he saw his always faithful, ever watchful (and very pregnant) assistant, Cynthia, standing before him.

"Boy, you look…" He scanned her up and down, seeing her much larger midsection. "Full…"

"You're tellin' me…" She replied with a smile, hand rubbing her swollen bump. "Sam better be happy this one is going to be a son. I don't think I want to do this again…"

"You said that the last time, Cyn… I think you're deluding yourself…"

"You know you love it, when Hannah and Zoey come to visit…"

"Yes, your twin ankle-biters are mighty cute, but I'm not interested in having anymore…"

"But, Gus is so cute though…"

"One version of me was plenty before, but two versions now... 'nough said…" He took a drink from his coffee cup and questioned, "So, what did you need?"

"Palmer Atwood is here to see you…"

"Who?"

"You know… the CEO of the Atwood Foundation…"

"And…?"

"And, he represents one of the single biggest LGBTP support groups around. They raise tons of money to open halfway houses and shelters for at-risk kids & teens all over the U.S. and Canada. They are planning a fundraiser ball here in Pittsburgh, and they want Kinnetik to do all of the advertisements and planning for the event."

"Did we already say 'yes' to do the project or something? And, why-the-hell is this the first time I've heard of it?"

"One, we haven't told them anything yet, and two, Brian Kinney, it's been on your schedule for a month now…"

Brian clicked onto the scheduling app on his laptop and saw the meeting in bold, red letters at 10:30: '**ATWOOD FOUNDATION**'.

"Damn…" He muttered to himself.

"So, send him in here, or into the conference room?" Cynthia wondered softly.

"In here… thank you, Cynthia…"

"'Thank you, Cynthia'? Are you alright, Brian?"

"Yeah… I'm fine…"

"Sure you are… I'll send Mr. Atwood in now, '_sir_'…"

Moments after Cynthia walked out of the room, she walked back in with someone who caught Brian's attention immediately.

He stood 6-feet-four, less than 200lbs. With a shaved head, sky blue eyes and light raspberry-colored lips, Palmer Atwood was godlike… more than ever in that perfectly tailored, navy blue William Fioravanti suit he was wearing.

"Palmer Atwood…" Brian stood up and stated lightly, extending his hand to the gentleman for a handshake.

"Brian Kinney…" The man responded, taking the hand offered to him firmly. "Pleasure to meet you…"

"Pleasure's mine… please… sit, so we can discuss what the Atwood Foundation needs from Kinnetik."

Palmer sat down before him and smiled, waiting for the conversation to start and admiring Brian at the same time.

"So, Palmer, what brings you and the Foundation from Chi-Town to the Burg?" The ad exec wondered aloud.

"We are having a fundraiser ball at the Gay & Lesbian Center to help build a new at-risk home near Liberty Avenue. Close friends who live here told me that it was much needed and that you were the one to come to for your advertising intellect…"

"Well, I'm pleased to know that I come with a reputation for my acumen…"

"And, for other things… your club, for one…"

"Ahhh, let me guess… you want to utilize Babylon as well for your fundraising efforts?"

"If it's possible… we already have a bar booked for one event; you may know it: Woody's…"

'_The gay partier's trifecta'_, Brian thought to himself. '_This is gonna be interesting…_'

"It's possible… for the right time and the right money…" The man quipped.

"Mr. Kinney, I have the right money…" Palmer retorted. "Now, do you have the time?"

Brian smirked, as he shuffled papers around on his desk, before asking plainly, "So, what are you planning to do at each location?"

"Well, we do have a band coming to perform at Woody's…"

"Which band?"

"'Starrs Spangler and the Banners'… ever heard of them?"

'_Wow, now that's a name for a band_', Brian thought to himself. '_I'm guessing lesbian lead singer and grunge…_'

"Can't say I have…" the ad exec responded. "What kind of music do they play?"

"Rock, pop, funk, a little bit of everything really…"

"And, what's so fab about them that Marco would book their act?"

"Their lead singer is a drag queen…"

"Like full on?"

"Like pink wig, overdone make-up, glam gowns… the works…"

Palmer reached into his suit coat, pulled out an invitation for the show, and put it on Brian's desk. Brian picked up the card and observed the brightly-painted face of a drag queen in a glittery gold gown, standing in front of four guys in blue jeans and tee-shirts.

"She's uhhhh…" Brian started to say, looking for the right word to describe her. "Unique…"

"Unique?" Palmer answered back. "She's something more than unique; she's genius…"

"Then, why do you need my brilliance, if she is how you say she is?"

"Mr. Kinney - - Brian - - the Center suggested some ideas for the fundraiser, and let's just say they were bland, sexless, and unexciting. I want hype. I want spicy. I want hardcore pornographic realness…"

"And, Starrs Spangler is gonna help with that? I beg to differ…"

"Since the fundraiser is the weekend before the 4th of July, I thought she could get liven up the Avenue. Her patriotic freak flag waving proudly in the sky for all to see…"

"So, a patriotic theme, eh? Finally, we are getting down to business, Mr. Atwood…"

"Good… I hope we will have more meetings in the future about this, Mr. Kinney… many 'more'…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Later on that day…<strong>_

Walking up to the entrance of Woody's, he saw a poster on the door. It was the same photo that was on the invitation card he received from Palmer Atwood. Sighing, he sauntered in, moving through the throng of homos to find his best friends in the back playing pool.

"Well well, the prodigal son has returned…" Emmett spoke up from his pomegranate cosmo.

"I haven't returned; I never left." Brian replied with his usual smirk.

"Well, it's good to see you too, sweetie…"

"So, how soon to do you have to head over to Babylon, Brian?" Ben questioned aloud.

"Not soon enough, Professor…" The ad exec countered, before turning to another friend, "Theodore, get ready to open Kinnetik's checkbook; we just scored a new account today…"

"And, which one would that be?" Ted wondered.

"The Atwood Foundation…"

"Holy shit… Brian, that's a multi-million dollar organization. Why didn't you tell me this at work?"

"Because I just closed the deal an hour ago…"

"I bet you did…" Michael muttered aloud, winking at his best friend. "Was he worth it?"

"For your information, Mikey: Palmer Atwood and I did not have sex, nor did he suck me off or I suck him off… we had dinner at **LeMont** and discussed ideas for both of his fundraising events."

"'Both'?" Ted questioned, taken aback by what his friend & boss had just said. "Oh, my God, Brian! That's great… well, it's more than great; it's fantastic!"

"Thank you, Theodore…"

"So, Michael, are you and Dr. Ben coming to Babylon later?" Emmett piped in.

"We are, since Hunter is spending the weekend at his friend Brett's apartment… they are studying for a chem exam on Monday." The other man responded, taking a drink from his beer.

"He's really getting into college, huh? I'm happy for him…"

"Thanks, Em…"

"Well, you guys, I'm gonna head out," Brian spoke up, setting down his half-full beer. "I need to check in with Rico at the club, before I head home…"

" 'Head home'?" Michael wondered aloud. "Brian, what's up with you? No Babylon? It's not even a school night…"

"I have some things to do, Mikey… night, all…"

"Night, Brian…" everyone responded in their own way.

As he walked out the door, Brian took a deep breath.

Yes, he was sacrificing a night away from Babylon, but he needed to.

He needed to see if he could get a hold of someone… someone a million miles away in one way or another... someone who would give him any and all reassurances that he was doing the right things in his life…

_**TBC?**_

* * *

><p><em>Who is Brian 'getting a hold of'? - E.<em>


	3. Waking Up To Reality

**Author's**** Notes: Hi, everyone! Sorry this took forever to get posted.**

**Between work, a weekend away from home, and deleting portions of this several times, I finally have this chapter finished.**

**I hope you like where this story is going. **

**As always: Positive suggestions always welcome, negative criticisms are not.**

**Have a great night!**

**- C.E.C.**

**(P.S. My song choices are not based on the timeframe/timeline of the storyline; they are supposed to go with the general theme of the chapter. Just letting you know.)**

* * *

><p><em><span><strong>Chapter Three.<strong>_

"_You say love is what you put into it  
>You say that I'm losing my will<br>Don't you know that you're all that I think about  
><em>_You make up a half of the whole…"_**_**  
>- <strong>_**Lyrics from**_** "Almost Home" **_**by A Great Big World.****

* * *

><p>When Brian walked into his loft that night, he locked the sliding gate door behind him. He took a deep breath and listened to the quietness of the space.<p>

He was alone… again. It had only been two years, but it felt more like ten… and, he was starting to get tired of it.

Every night after Babylon, it was the same routine, and even, the routine was getting tired.

After taking off his suit jacket and setting it over the back of the couch, he walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water out of it. Before closing the door, he noticed a white box inside that he hadn't seen previously. He pulled it out and saw a note on top stating, '_**Eat me… - Love, Deb**_'. He chuckled and opened the box to find a dozen perfectly-made lemon squares from the Liberty Diner.

It made him remember back to one night a week after Justin left town, when he felt the lowest of the lows.

_** He came into the diner feeling blue, needing something but he wasn't sure what._

_As he sat down on one of the stools at the breakfast bar, he took a deep breath, put his head in his hands and remained quiet._

"_Boy, you look like shit!" A booming voice piped in._

_Looking up, he saw the ever-present face of his favorite faux redhead, one Debbie Novotny-Horvath._

"_Thanks, Deb… nice to see you, too…" He muttered softly._

"_What's got you so down in the dumps, baby?" She questioned._

"_Life… what else?"_

"_Oh… I understand…" _

_Debbie knew he was still sad & sore about Justin's departure from their lives; they all were, but she didn't want him to dwell on it forever. Justin had left for a good reason: to have a future… one they both knew wouldn't happen in the Burgh._

"_You hungry?" She wondered._

"_Not particularly no…" He responded back softly._

"_Thirsty?"_

"_Shot of Jim, if you got it… and, a Xanax, if you got one back there, too…"_

"_Brian Kinney, I've known you for a lotta years and this has gotta stop! He will come back; he still loves you! Now, drink some coffee and have a lemon bar – they taste like a mouthful of sunshine!" **_

Putting the box back in the fridge, he grabbed the water bottle again and pulled off his tie, setting it on the counter. He moved through the space and up to his bedroom, divesting himself of the rest of his work clothes swiftly.

Left in only his black boxer-briefs, he climbed into bed under the covers. He glanced over at the clock on the nightstand and saw the time: **11:45pm**… it was the earliest he'd been to bed in ages.

One thought was on his mind as he drifted away into a deep slumber: he needed Justin back... he needed him back now.

* * *

><p>The next morning, a familiar set of pinging sounds woke Brian from his forty-winks.<p>

As he got out of bed, he groaned loudly, stretching his muscles and hearing them pop and creak.

Walking over to his laptop, he noticed that someone had tried to conference with him. When he saw the name, he smiled softly. Tapping a few buttons, the connection restarted and soon, a recognizable face appeared on the screen.

"Young man, do you what time it is?" Brian questioned aloud in a not-so serious tone.

"Early…" The small voice giggled. "Mornin', Daddy…"

"Good morning to you, too, Sonny Boy… how's school?"

"Good… I learn alots…"

"Fabulous… now, I know my money's going to something worthwhile. How's Frankie doing?"

"He's okay… He's fuffy ahden…"

Frankie is the newest family member in the Peterson-Marcus household: a 16lb. fluffy-furred, blue-pointed ragdoll, who thinks that scratching Jenny-Rebecca during playtime is fun and that the car-shaped rug in Gus' room is a bonus litter box.

"Is Mommy going to get him another haircut?" Brian wondered to his son.

"Yeah, on Tuesday, before Sows N' Tells…" The boy replied.

"Oh, 'Show and Tell', huh? That sounds fun, Gus…"

"Yeah… Daddy, was you sleepin'?"

"Yep, Daddy was sleeping…"

"You miss Jussin?"

'_Oh, Jesus, I knew this was coming,_' Brian thought to himself. '_And, I can't lie to the kid and say no. He's my own kid… he can tell when I'm lying…'_

"Yeah, Sonny Boy, I miss him…" He spoke up quietly. "Everyday…"

"Den you go to da 'Big Apple'!"

"I need to go to 'The Big Apple', huh? But, what if I want to come to Canada instead?"

"No, Daddy!"

"You don't want me to come & see you?"

"I come to see you, Daddy. You no come ta Tornto… you no like Tornto…"

"Well, that's a very true statement, bud…"

"Then, you go to da 'Big Apple'! Go gid Jussin an' comes home!"

"Yes, sir!"

Suddenly, Brian heard two voices giggling in the background. He knew that he and Gus were being monitored.

"Come out from the shadows, ladies…" He spoke up. "I can hear Mel's cackle a mile away…"

"I do not cackle, Brian…" Melanie sniped, stepping into camera view. "And, for your information, I agree with Gus… get your ass up to New York and see Justin…"

"Wow, way to talk in front of our son…"

"Oh, shut up, Brian…" Lindsay remarked, at last showing her face. "You know our son is right…"

"You guys are ganging up on the wrong person…" Brian piped in, getting frustrated by the constant barrage. "Justin is the one, who wanted to go to New York City. Justin is the one, who wanted to further his art career. Justin is the one who left. I didn't make him leave; he left on his own!"

"And, you never fought for him and your relationship once after that!" Melanie inserted into the discussion.

That quip hit the ad exec harder than he expected.

She was right; he didn't fight at all.

He lost the fight, before he even could begin the battle.

"I have to go, guys…" He said softly, feeling slightly depressed. "I'll talk to you later…"

Everyone on the Canadian side said their goodbyes, before Brian pressed the 'disconnect' button on the screen with his mouse. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, keeping his emotions in check.

What had he done to save his relationship? Did they even have a relationship anymore?

He pulled out a cigarette, lit it swiftly, and took a big drag, contemplating everything that had gone wrong.

In his life, had he even tried to save what he had before?

* * *

><p><em><strong>Meanwhile, back in New York…<strong>_

It had been a quiet day at the gallery.

Ava was off giving a tour to a local 2nd-grade elementary school classroom, which left Justin and several other artists/employees to their own devices.

He had been sitting at the front desk, chatting with Scarlett, the front-desk receptionist, when a booming Southern-accented voice stated aloud, "Mr. Taylor, what're you doin'?"

Turning around, he saw the unimpressed face of his boss/gallery owner, Dr. Torres Silvio. A salt-and- pepper-haired Greek-American man of about sixty-years old from Tennessee, standing short at 5'3" in a Catalina blue suit, a matching bowtie and sienna-brown dress shoes, he was the mini-version of what any other New York City male gallery owner looked like, gay or straight.

"Dr. Silvio…" He stated nervously. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't ya both have work to do?" the proprietor questioned seriously. "Scarlett, did I get any calls?"

"Yes…" She answered, handing him a handful of pink '_While You Were Out_' slips. "And, Mr. Spiros called again…"

"That twat…" he muttered under his breath, while looking at his messages. "If he calls again, let him know gently that I am still not interested…"

"Yes, sir…"

"Mr. Taylor, why're ya still standin' here? Get the hell back to work… now!"

"Oh, Torry, leave the boy alone!" A feminine voice spoke up loudly from the gallery entrance.

All three of the workers turned to see an interesting beauty behind them.

Standing there in a pair of shiny black stretch leather Stuart Weitzman sandals and a black multicolored, long-sleeved knit jacquard sheath dress by Yigal Azrouel, she gave off the vibe of someone's treasured princess.

Her chestnut brown hair perfectly curled in ringlets with a pair of plain black RayBan® sunglasses covering her eyes.

She smiled at the gallery owner as she walked towards him, removing her shades.

"Darlin', why didn't you say that you're in town?" Torres wondered aloud, as they embraced in a soft hug. "I would've met up with ya…"

"I thought Ava told you that I was here for the week doing fundraiser stuff…" She responded. "I must remember to send you a text, when I come back here, instead of relying on so-called 'friends' to do it for me…"

"As so ya should…"

"How's Spiros?"

"Icksnay on the Spiros-eh, okay?"

"Understood…" She smiled at him, before changing the subject, "And, who are these two attractive people?"

"Two people who should be workin' an' not snoopin'…"

"Oh, come now, Torry… let them gawk… I get that a lot…"

The professor chuckled softly at his friend's quick wit, before clearing his throat, "Darlin', this is Scarlett Nakahara, the gallery's administrative assistant and front-desk manager…"

"Miss Scarlett…" the woman spoke up in a fake Southern accent, as she looked her over. "Pleasure to meet you…"

"Pleasure to meet you as well, ma'am…" the young woman responded. "I hope you'll enjoy the gallery…"

"Oh, I will… boy, you have such good service here, Torres…"

"We only hire the best… and, this is Justin Taylor, one of our resident artists…" Dr. Silvio continued on with introductions.

"Justin Taylor? No way… you painted '_Ashes in Blue Fog'_ over there near the entrance…"

"Yeah… that's one of my earlier pieces…" the young man replied, slightly surprised that she recognized his work. "What do you think of it?"

"It's bold…"

"'Bold'?"

"The saturation of between harsh and subtle lines of color caught my eye immediately. You must have used like what - three, maybe four, shades of blue in the whole piece?"

"Four… how did you know that?"

"My parents are major contributors to galleries all around the U.S., so they made me & my siblings go along with them to 'invest in some culture', and I have a minor in Art History…"

"What was your major?" Scarlett wondered aloud.

"Business… in German. I went to Skidmore College… in Saratoga Springs…"

"Seriously?" Justin stated.

"Seriously…"

"But, why German?"

"Warum nicht? Why not?"

"Well, isn't it hard to learn?"

"Ein bisschen… a little bit, but once you get used to the fundamentals, es ist glattes Segeln von dort."

"Huh?"

"It's smooth sailing from there…"

"Oh…"

"Well, as this has been so fun and all, the children need to get back to work…" Torres piped up. "And, I mean it this time…"

"Torry, wait…" The young woman spoke up. "Because I know you're so very busy, I might want one of them to enjoy an excursion around the gallery with me… That is, if one of them is free to do so..."

She looked over at Justin, who was genuinely surprised that someone wanted him to give a tour.

"Come on, Sugar Pie…" She muttered lightly. "Come show me around…"

**TBC?**

* * *

><p><em>So, what do you think? <em>


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